Miscellaneous prose works 2 Author:Walter Scott Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER LXXIV. Retrospect of Events on the Frontiers.—Defeclionof Murai. —Its consequences.—Augereau abandons Franche Comte. — Carnotintrustedwith the command... more »ofAntwerp.—Attack on Bergen-op-Zoom, by Sir Thomas Graham.— The Allies take, and evacuate Soissons.—Bulow and Win- zengerode unite with Blucher.— Wellington forces hit way through the Pays des Gaves.—Royalists in the West.—Discontent of the old Republicans.— Views of the different Members of the Alliance as to the Dynasties of Bourbon, and Napoleon.—Proceedings of the Dukes of Berri and Angouteme, and Monsieur.—Battle of Orthez. —Bourdeaux surrendered to Marshal Beresford.—Negotiations of Chatillon Treaty of Chaumont.—Napoleon's contre-projet.— Congress at Chatillon broken up. While Napoleon was struggling in the campaign of Paris, for his very existence as a monarch, events were taking place on the frontiers, by all of which his fate was more or less influenced, and in almost all of them unfavourably. Of these events we must give a brief detail, mentioning at the same time, the influence which they individually produced upon the results of the war. The defence of Italy had been committed to Prince Eugene Beauharnois, the viceroy of that kingdom. He was entirely worthy of the trust, but was deprived of any means that remained to him ofaccomplishing his task, by the defection of Murat. We have often had occasion to describe Murat as distinguished on the field of battle—rather an undaunted and high-mettled soldier, than a wise commander. As a sovereign he had little claim to distinction. He was good tempered, but vain, limited in capacity, and totally uninformed. Napoleon had not concealed his contempt of his understanding, and, after the retreat from Russia, had passed an oblique, but most intelligible censure on him,...« less